M3J Bánh Mì & Pho in California

"⭐ Shoutout to Steve at KingSell Phone Repair for fixing my phone and recommending this spot—best tip ever! KingSell is right next door to M3J Bánh Mì & Pho, and since Steve eats here every day, he told me we had to check it out. So glad we did! I came in with my little one today since her favorite food is pho, and after getting my phone fixed we were both hungry. At M3J Bánh Mì & Pho, I met the owner, Steven (different Steven!), who told me he used to be an engineer working on airplanes before opening this restaurant about two months ago with his wife. What makes him truly special is his heart: he keeps prices intentionally low to help feed the community and provides free meals to the homeless every single day. When we walked in, I noticed a homeless man in a wheelchair outside, and Steven explained that whenever the man wheels back and forth in front, that’s his way of signaling he’s hungry—and Steven makes sure he gets a meal. That kind of quiet, consistent kindness really touched me. Steven seems like the type of person who would give the shirt off his back, and meeting him inspired me to want to do more for others too. The food was absolutely incredible. I ordered the brisket pho with double brisket, and it was perfect—rich broth, tender meat, and so comforting. What’s unique here is the $5 soup base (you can choose chicken, pork, or beef!) and then just $4 for your protein. Doubling the brisket for $8 was such a great value and totally worth it. Steven was so thoughtful and even gave us extra noodles for our pho at no charge. That meant a lot, since my daughter and I usually share one large pho and she doesn’t eat much—I normally have to pay for extra noodles elsewhere, but here it was just given with kindness. I also had the $5.75 grilled beef bánh mì, and wow—the bread was so fresh and crispy, even late at night near closing time. Steven bakes it fresh, and it really shows. Honestly, you just can’t find bánh mì at this price anywhere else—and with this level of quality, it feels almost too good to be true. Easily one of the best bánh mì I’ve had. We also tried the $10 fresh rolls (you get four big ones, super fresh) and the $10 fried rice combo with pork, chicken, and shrimp. Everything was flavorful, fresh, and made with care. The restaurant is spotless, the bánh mì prices feel like pre-pandemic pricing, and the overall value is unbeatable. Our whole bill—including a 15% tip—came out to about $54. Plus, I scored a free milk tea for signing up with their rewards program, and Steven even gave us a jasmine milk tea with boba on the house. And the menu still has so much more I can’t wait to try: the other bánh mì flavors, the egg rolls, the wonton soup, the porridge, the rice and salad combos, and the smoothies (all of their drinks are only $3 for a small and $3.50 for a large!). With prices like that and food this fresh, I’m definitely going to be a regular. Steven is not only the owner but also the chef, and you can feel the love he puts into everything. I told him how fresh and wonderful the food was, but honestly, it’s more than just the food—it’s the feeling. He makes you feel like family, and that means so much. We’ve officially found our new pho spot in West Covina, and I can’t wait to bring my husband here on our next detour. Thrilled to support Steven’s small business—this place is a gem, and I highly recommend it!"

"Best banh mi ever!! Fresh bread and the grilled pork seasoning is great. The pickled veggies are crisp and not too sour. Order came out quick and the atmosphere is calming to come to mid work day. One of the workers brought me a refill on Thai tea for free! Would recommend and definitely a new regular spot for me"

"This place is amazing!! It’s a family run business with great service, food, and prices. I got a beef ball, tendon pho and my husband got a chicken pho. The chicken was tender. They gave generous amounts of yummy beef and the broth for both was so delicious. You get so much bang for your buck - you really can’t beat the prices. I will definitely come back."

"Absolutely love this Vietnamese restaurant! The food is always fresh, flavorful, and authentic. The pho is rich and comforting — you really can’t go wrong with the $10 pho soup combo, especially on a rainy day like today. It hits the spot every single time. The prices are great, the portions are generous, and the service is friendly and welcoming. You can tell they truly care about their customers. Highly recommend this place if you’re craving delicious Vietnamese food at an amazing value!"

"This pho gem always hits the spot and is easy on the wallet. I got to chat with the owner and he is so very nice! The food quality is always great here and they use really fresh herbs (basil and sprouts) to accompany your pho orders. Ambiance is clean and not overly done. I would love it if they decided to play some light music since it does get pretty quiet in there. Besides that, everything is clean and well kept. Coming here is pretty out of the way for me, but I make the drive worth it by buying a lot to feed me for the next few days. I recommend the banh mi, paté pastries, and durian smoothie for on-the-go fuel for your body."

"I have been here three separate times while i work in the area. Each time they are very friendly and welcoming. The egg pastries, pho's and the Bánh Mi are all good. I would say the pho isn't very fragrant but still hits the spot. I was given a free thai tea however i felt like it tasted to artificial. The prices are really good. You can eat a pho and take a bánh mi to go for under $17!"

"This place opened 6 months ago, but I wish I visited earlier. Banh mi is affordable and tastes amazing. Also surprised how good the egg tart was, it's authentic with crisp pastry and not too sweet custard, definitely grab one with your order. I had no wait to order in the morning and great for a quick breakfast to go. Definitely coming back!"

"Asian approved broth is good, service is excellent, egg tarte soo delicious not too sweet, Thai tea is perfect and prices are affordable! This is going to be our new local go to spot for sure. Thank you! We’ll be back. 5 stars"